The Fallen
by Falconface
Summary: Dustpaw is an ordinary apprentice from NightClan. But one day, her clan was attacked and killed by a group of rouges known as EmberClan. She alone was the only survivor. She discovers a group of cats that have shared the same fate as her, they call themselves The Fallen. Their only goal is to avenge their clans, by defeating and destroying EmberClan.
1. Blood And Tears

**Blood and Tears**

Songbirds sang high in the trees, though the NightClan camp below was dark and quiet. Under the thick trees almost no light from the rising sun touched the ground.

Meanwhile outside the camp, lithe dark shapes made their way through the still forest. Their claws gleamed in the early morning sun. They made no sound as they twisted through the thick undergrowth.

Near the entrance the gang of cats suddenly stopped and crouched low to the ground. A single warrior sat outside the small tunnel into camp. It's head swivelled over to the group of shapes hidden in the darkness. The guard blinked once then turned away.

One of the many cats made a small signal with its tail. On command two felines shapes broke away from the group. They stalked forward undetected by the warrior.

Then they leapt onto the guard and pinned him to the ground. With one swift movement, a cat racked it's claws down the warrior's throat. The guard fell still but not before a warning escaped it's mouth.

...

Dustpaw woke to a high pitched screech echoing around the clearing. Her fur stood on end from the pure fear in the cry. The other apprentices began to stir as well, blinking the drowsiness from their eyes.

She crept forward to the entrance to the den and gasped at what she saw outside. Many feline shapes were making their way into the camp. Each one not making a sound as they entered. And each one with an orange pelt that glowed like fire.

Dustpaw closed her eyes and tasted the air. None of these cats were familiar and all of them smelled of blood.

She silently thanked the black fur her clan was blessed with, as she slithered out of the den unnoticed.

Dustpaw could see the slight shine of her clan mate's eyes in the brightening light. She knew not to worry, the warriors of the clan knew of the danger and were making a plan of attack.

She continued to make her way to the nursery next to the camp entrance, knowing the kits had to be protected from danger. Dustpaw reached the entrance when her eyes caught sight of a familiar black pelt laying limp at the tunnel.

Her eyes widened at the sight of her dead mentor. Patchfoot's mouth was parted in a silent yowl and she realized with a sense of dread that this was the screech that had woken her.

Patchfoot's single white paw was drenched in blood from the open wound on his neck. Dustpelt found herself frozen on sight. How could Patchfoot be dead?

Then a flicker of movement drew her gaze back to the invading cats. There was so many, easily outnumbering her own clan. But Dustpaw didn't care, her only thought was avenging her dead mentor.

With a screech of fury she lunged at the nearest warrior, biting viciously into his leg. He yowled in pain then shook her off. Dustpaw landed on her feet and spun around charging right back at her opponent. He hissed at her and swept his paw at her head, claws unsheathed. She dodged and jumped onto his back.

Loss clouded her vision and Dustpaw was barely conscious of battling cats filling the clearing. Suddenly the tom she was wrestling flipped over and she was crushed under the greater weight.

The large warrior turned, his orange pelt glowing in the morning light. Dustpaw scrambled to her feet and dodged out of the way as the tom lunged at her. He skidded back and whipped around to face her, darting out a paw and slicing his claws down her face.

Dustpaw screeched in pain and lashed out at him. He growled as the blow cut into his flank. The warrior lunged forward and bit into Dustpaw's scruff. He lifted her up and flung her against the large boulders that lined one side of camp. She fell stunned for a moment, but it was a moment too long. The tom was on her, lashing out viciously with his claws.

Dustpaw felt the thorn sharp tips rip through her ear and down her pelt. She screeched and lashed out blindly at the enemy, but the attacks kept coming. She felt blood soaking her fur and her vision began to dim.

Dustpaw's body went limp, scarlet liquid pooling at her paws. She opened her eyes into small slits and watched as the final blow came straight for her throat.

"Stop." Commanded a voice. The claws hesitated, a heartbeat from killing her. The voice spoke again. "Leave her. Kill the others."

Dustpaw watched the orange pelt retreat. A final thought came into her mind. _I should have become a warrior tonight. Why did this happen now? The one moment in my life that truly mattered._

_..._

The invading cats stared with satisfaction at the destruction they had caused. Bodies of dead cats lay limp, scattered throughout the camp. The dens had been destroyed, ripped to shreds to ensure no cats were still hiding.

One large tom stood at the highest point on the boulders, looking over the damage. "Are you sure she is the one?" Asked a younger tom, padding up to him. "She was so weak."

"Positive." Replied the older one. He turned to the other cat, his eyes like shards of ice. "You have been my apprentice since we destroyed our home clan. You of all cats, should know not to question me."

"Yes Bloodfang." Muttered the smaller tom. He was about to leave but hesitated. "What I was really wondering, was if you could tell me the real reason we've been leaving a survivor."

"You already know what you need to know." Growled Bloodfang.

"I know but-" The younger cat protested.

"I not telling you for one simple reason, I don't trust you, Risingscar." Then his eyes narrowed. "However, if you really want to know, you can ask Emberstar. But you know the risk."

Risingscar bowed his head. "Yes Bloodfang." He turned and stalked away. He wanted badly to know the answer, but if he was too nosy, he would suffer the one risk of talking to Emberstar. Risingscar shook his head, the risk was too grate. It was the risk of dying.

Bloodfang watched his apprentice walk away with his head still down. His apprentice was simply too nosy. Maybe it would be better to tell him, so he would stop asking questions. No. Answers will not stop him from wanting more information.

Their leader and even more warriors were in their home clan's territory. If they finished their mission, or Risingscar was finally ready to lead the rest of the warrios, Bloodfang could return to his leader.

But right now Risingscar couldn't be trusted. Bloodfang made a mental note to start looking for another apprentice. At least their mission was over halfway done. Only six more clans left to kill.


	2. Awakened

**Awakened**

More feline shapes watched from the shadow as the group of invading cats disappeared into the woods as fast as they had appeared. Meanwhile the hidden cats waited a while before they too, entered the camp.

Inside the ground was soaked in blood and small tufts of fur drifted freely in the slight breeze. Bodies of limp cats were scattered around the clearing, each one covered in scars. Even the small bodies of kits lay lifeless outside the destroyed nursery.

The new group of cats scattered around the camp, checking each of the dead bodies. "I still can't get use to the sight of this." Murmured a young tan coloured she-cat.

"I know." Replied a white tom from across the clearing.

The she-cat checked a few more bodies then looked back at her clan mate. "Do you think there is a survivor?" She asked, a worried look in her eyes.

"There is always a survivor Dawn, and you know that." Meowed the tom.

"But their always so beat up, what if the survivor died?" She questioned.

"Quiet you two!" Snapped a small dark tom. "There is a survivor."

Dawn fell silent and continued to move through the camp. Meanwhile an orange tom watched over his fellow clan mates from atop the mound of boulders. His eyes scanned the clearing as a gray tabby she-cat padded up beside him.

"Found anything?" She asked.

The tom shook his head. "The attacks are always random. There is never anything to tell why it happened."

"Don't worry Fire. We'll figure it out." Soothed the gray she-cat.

But before Fire could reply a voice came echoing through the destroyed camp. "I found her!" Called a tortoiseshell she-cat.

"Thank goodness!" Breathed Dawn, bounding over.

"Come on!" Meowed the she-cat to Fire. She darted down the rocks to were the other cats were gathering. Fire sighed to himself and followed.

The young apprentice was under a wedge in the stone boulders, her pelt covered in blood.

The gathered cats moved out of the way to let Fire and the tabby she-cat through. The she-cat was instantly beside the limp cat, examining the injuries.

"Will she be alright Rain?" Asked Fire.

"Her wounds are deep and there are many of them." Replied Rain. "But she is strong and will survive. However if Moss hadn't found her in time, she might not have made it."

There was a murmur of thanks to the tortoiseshell she-cat, who raised her head proudly. "Come on." Meowed Fire. "Let's get the survivor back to camp."

The gathered cats gently lifted the small apprentice and under the careful watch of Rain, carried her out of the NightClan camp and into the sun touched forest.

...

Rain's eyes were fixed on the water rushing by. Though her sore paws were already soaked, her gaze couldn't leave the shinning surface of the river.

An owl's hoot made her jump. She cursed herself, rapidly licking her fur to smooth it. The owl hooted again, it's two glittering eyes watching her every movement.

Rain sighed to herself. It was always hard to get use to another clan's territory. She wished she could return to her own clan were the air was always moist and glistening waterfalls lined stone cliffs. But Rain new that would never happen. Her clan was dead, and her territory was many, many moons away.

Rain looked back at the water's surface and she was greeted by darkness rippling in it's depths. Startled she looked up and realized that the sun was beginning to sink beneath the trees.

As she dashed back to camp she thought back on what just happened. In the dark shadows of the water, she had seen a single shinning star. But now above her the sky was clear, tinted with the colours of dusk.

_It has to be a sign_. She thought as she entered medicine cat's den in the make-shift camp.

She looked over at the black apprentice asleep in a nest. Rain looked closer at the black pelt and was startled for a moment. The apprentice's clan was attacked two dawns ago but the wounds were already halfway healed.

Rain looked up at the half moon, now almost at it's highest peak. _Strange._ She thought to herself.

...

Dustpaw's eyes flickered open. Her whole body throbbed with pain, it hurt just to breath. Still she struggled to her feet and stumbled out of the nest she was in.

It was dark and gloomy in the den, but her eyes were used to it, and quickly adjusted. From what she could tell, the den was built under the roots of a tree, hidden halfway in the ground. Against the wall farthest from the exit was a gray tabby she-cat curled up in a nest, fast asleep.

Dustpelt sniffed the air. The tabby smelled of herbs along with another scent. Dustpelt silently thanked StarClan that this cat was not one of the invaders. Still, she couldn't be trusted.

Dustpelt started towards the exit, wincing with every step. The wounds on her pelt burned like fire, but she ignored them, the will to get back to her clan pushing her on.

Outside the stars hung high in the sky, brightening the darkness. The instant the moonlight touched Dustpelt's fur, she felt stronger. The scars stopped throbbing and she felt like she could run forever.

She tasted the air again and realized that the clearing was some sort of camp. Cats were sleeping under any available shelter, but there wasn't very many of them. The scents were strange though. Each cat smelled like it had two scents, one was different with each feline and the other was one shared by everyone.

_They haven't been a clan for that long._ Dustpelt thought. _But they aren't the cats that attacked, so who are they?_

She pushed the question aside. All that mattered was finding her clan and making sure they were all right.

With that though in mind she darted to the edge of the makeshift camp, and without even looking to see if any cat was watching, raced off into the forest.

...

The foul taste of EmberClan filled Scar's nose. He resisted the urge to get away from the scent, and instead focused on the tiny movements of the camp.

He wished he could see as good as Dawn, but she wasn't silent enough to be spying on the cats that had killed entire clans. But from here, hidden in the under a small shrub, this was the best he could do.

Suddenly the rouges began to gather around a large orange tom, who appeared to be giving orders. Scar knew he needed to know what they were saying. It would give a clue to what their next move would be. The only problem would be getting closer. He needed a distraction.

Scar flicked his tail in a few quick commands and saw a figure dash off out of the corner of his eye. As Scar waited for Swift to make a distraction , he could feel his heartbeat, once, twice.

Suddenly a flock of birds erupted from the trees on the opposite side of the clearing, taking to the sky in a mass of feathers and beaks.

The commotion caused the warrior to all look in that direction. Scar took advantage and moved in closer to the gathered cats.

After a moment, the clan turned back to their leader, waiting for him to continue.

The large orange tom began to speak again. "As I was saying, we only have six more clans to kill. After we can return to our leader with heads held in victory!"

"If only we knew what it was we're celebrating." Muttered a smaller tom in the back. None of the other warriors paid him any attention.

"But Bloodfang, how do we know our plan will succeed?" Protested a warrior in the front. Other began to murmur too, having the same doubt.

"Has our leader ever been wrong before?!" Challenged the large tom. "The plan will succeed and our clan will be more powerful than ever!"

The crowd began to cheer, all doubts vanishing.

Suddenly Bloodfang's head twisted around to the bush to were Scar was hiding. Scar felt his blood run cold. The tom new where he was. Bloodfang took a step forward when across the clearing a cat came racing out of the trees and then quickly dove back in.

Instantly the clan began to charge forward, trying to catch the intruder. Scar realized Swift had distracted them just in time. He quickly slithered back into the forest, eager to get as far away from them as he could.

He found the two fallen trees where they had agreed to meet. With each passing moment, Scar grew more and more concerned. Swift should be here by now.

Finally the bushes rustled and the black and white tom pushed his way out. "Sorry." Swift apologized. "I needed to make sure they weren't following me.

"I need you take some information back." Replied Scar. "You are the fastest." Swift nodded as Scar began to speak. "The cat we thought was the leader is actually a deputy and his name is Bloodfang. Their real leader isn't even with them but somewhere far away. And they're going to destroy six more clans. However most of the cats seem to not even know why they're doing this."

After Scar stopped speaking, Swift meowed a hasty goodbye and dashed off in the direction of camp. Leaving Scar alone in the shadows of the forest.


	3. The Scarred Cat

**The Scared Cat**

Dustpaw charged throw the shadows of the forest, her pelt blending with the darkness of night. Her powerful hind legs pushed her forward, deeper into the trees and shadows.

The scent of blood in the air grew stronger and the entrance to the NightClan camp appeared. She went in, the feeling of dread growing with every step.

Inside the ground was soaked in blood and claw marks sunk deep into the earth. Dustpaw stood frozen, not believing the destruction before her.

Next to the boulders lining the camp, fresh mounds of earth were turned up, and she realized with a sinking feeling, that they were graves. Dustpaw silently went through the names of her clan mates in her head. Sure enough, all of her clan was buried here, from the smallest kit to the oldest elder.

_Why?_ She thought._ Why would anyone do this?_

Pain and rage flowed through her body. They will pay. All of them will pay.

Without a second thought, she ran back into the woods and followed the scent of blood into the undergrowth.

...

Dustpaw had covered half the territory but didn't feel the least bit tired. Anger and the loss of her clan gave her the strength to keep running. No matter what it took, she would avenge her clan.

The scent grew stronger and she knew she would be there any moment. Her claws were itching to fight, she felt herself go faster until the forest was a blur.

Suddenly a weight crashed into her side and she went flying into the bushes. The attacker leapt onto Dustpaw and pinned her to the ground. She ended up on her back, facing the warrior. But to her surprise the cat was actually small, with a black pelt slightly lighter than her own.

The tom hissed at her, pushing his scared muzzle close to her's. "What do you think you're doing, charging through the forest like that? Do you know how close we are to EmberClan?"

"Get off me!" Dustpaw growled back. Then she used her hind legs to shove off her opponent. The tom stumbled back, surprised by her sudden strength.

Dustpaw hissed at him, then turned and charged back into the woods, away from the scared black tom.

...

Scar watched the apprentice disappear into the forest. _What an idiot. _He thought._ But what can I expect from an apprentice_._ Still you would expect her to have a little more common sense._

Scar shook his head and focused on grooming the dust from his fur. After his black pelt was clean he sat up, ears pricked and tasted the air.

Through the thick smell of night, he could detect his clan mates still sleeping.

He looked back at the sky. The sun would be rising soon, and his clan would start looking for the missing she-cat. He let out a small sigh then turned to where the apprentice had gone. He might as well track her down now rather than later.

But first he needed to tell Swift. He should be somewhere on the other side of EmberClan. Scar sighed again. Of course this had to be difficult.

...

Pure rage was all Dustpaw felt. Not only was her clan gone, but that mouse-brain of a cat had to go and get in her way. She no longer new what she was doing. But the moon seemed to encourage her to keep running, so she did, as if she could outrun her troubles.

Suddenly a low branch whacked her in the face. Dustpaw stumbled forward, surprised by the sudden pain. Then her paws slipped and she tumbled into a small gorge.

A small river trickled at the bottom, and Dustpaw lay stunned for a moment on the pebbly shore.

She gasped in pain as some of her wounds reopened. "Mouse-dung!" She spat. Then Dustpaw got to her paws. The gorge she fell into was only three fox lengths deep and it went on far from sight.

_I'm at the border!_ She thought with surprise. Dustpaw looked at the fading moon. She had ran through the whole territory in less than a night.

A dull ache started in her paws. She stumbled over to a small cave imbedded in rock. It gave her just enough room to curl up in its shade.

The hard stone was uncomfortable against her pelt but she didn't care. All she wanted to do right now was sleep. Sleep, and let her sorrow and troubles evaporate in the growing light.

...

Fire paced back and forth in his den. Swift had delivered the latest report on EmberClan and had gone back to continue spying. The news however, was very troubling.

He thought about going to talk to Rain, but decided against it. The sun was just beginning to rise, and he didn't want to disturb her.

Fire thought about the information he now new. So Bloodfang was just a deputy. That was even more bad news. In truth, EmberClan was once part of FireClan, the clan that Fire had come from. And if the large orange tom wasn't leading them, then there was only one other cat that could lead the clan. If Fire was right, then EmberClan was even more powerful then he thought.

_I've underestimated them. _Fire thought bitterly. _Just like my clan. All we do is underestimate the power of our enemies and then we are destroyed. _Fire raised his head. _But at least I won't mistake their power now._

And Fire had another card to play. The real leader wasn't with the clan, and Fire had a guess on where their leader was. However, that would also mean that EmberClan had even more warriors to guard their leader. And their was one more problem, they were still going to destroy six more clans. If The Fallen were to go after the leader, the six survivors might die.

That left only one option. Continue following EmberClan and when the six survivors were safe, go find their leader before EmberClan could get there.

**Please remember to review and let me know if you like the story!**


	4. Fire

**I would like to thank the readers for their comments.**

**And in answer to Briarwing's question, yes, I will be accepting cats.**

**Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out.**

**-Falconface**

**Fire**

Dustpaw woke to the fading sun casting deep shadows across the forest. She could remember a blurry image of herself running through the forest after finding out her clan was... dead.

The last words stuck in her mind. Her clan was dead. How could something be so simple and yet so hard to believe. And even harder to understand was why she was still alive now. Why hadn't that tom killed her, it was so easy for him to simply rake his claws down her throat, and yet he hadn't. Why?

Dustpaw shook her head. She had been so confused the night before, not really knowing what she was doing or why. But now she had the desire to meet these new cats, and find out what was really going on.

She tasted the air to find their scent and was surprised to find a cat close by. Really close. She glanced up at the top of the ravine where the young black tom was crouched in the shadows.

'_He followed me_.' She realized.

Silently she climbed the steep side of the gorge and sat down beside the tom. Neither spoke for a long time.

Finally the tom glanced at her. "Are you going to go try to kill yourself by going after EmberClan again?"

"EmberClan?" She asked. "Are those the warriors that killed my clan?"

The tom nodded. "That would be them."

"So what are you doing in NightClan territory?" She asked cautiously.

"Tracking EmberClan." He replied simply. Then the tom stood up. "We better go back to the others. Rain should be panicking right about now."

...

Rain was pacing back and forth in the clearing of camp, her face full of concern.

"Could you relax for once?" Asked Birch, a large white tom. "They said that they found Scar's scent mixed with her's, which means that he probably already found her."

The gray tabby she-cat ignored him, casting worried glances at the sky, where the moon slowly making it's way towards the horizon. Suddenly the bushes at the edge of camp rustled. Two cats came out of the shadows and were greeted by the rest of the clan rushing forward

Scar pushed his way out of the crowd. His usual grumpy expression plastered on his face. He didn't say anything as he headed for Fire's den, paying no attention to the world around him.

Rain glanced at him. Scar was always this way, wanting to be alone from everyone.

Rain then focused on the black she-cat. The wounds on her pelt were almost healed, making thousands of questions spin in Rain's head.

Finally she managed to push herself to the front of the crowd. She then began to lead the apprentice back to her den despite the she-cat's protests.

...

Dustpaw winced under the sharp sting of the herbs. The gray she-cat, who Dustpaw assumed was the medicine cat, was going through herbs at the back of her den.

"So..." Began Dustpaw. "Who are you?"

The she-cat looked at Dustpaw. "My name is Rain." She answered.

"Rain, why did EmberClan attack my Clan?" Demanded Dustpaw.

Rain shook her head. "I don't know." She whispered. "But everyone you see in this camp had their clans killed because of them."

"You mean they kill entire clans for no reason?" Murmured Dustpaw.

Rain nodded. "It appears to be that way. For about three seasons now, we've been tracking EmberClan. Each time they destroy a clan, they leave one survivor. You are one of those survivors. But it is rumoured that EmberClan will kill only six more clans. We hope that by then, their cause for this destruction will be clear."

Dustpaw glanced outside. She silently realized that if that black tom hadn't stopped her, she would've been killed by EmberClan. If they could kill off this many clans, than it seemed like they might never be defeated.

Another thought crossed her mind. "That black tom. Who is he?"

"That's Scar." Replied Rain, as she returned to sorting through her herbs.

Dustpaw thought back to the small tom. He had many scars that covered his pelt. The name did suit him. She looked back at Rain. "I was wondering if I could speak to your leader. Just to understand some things."

"I guess you can talk to Fire. He's in one of the dens across the camp." Answered Rain.

Dustpaw got to her paws and trotted across the clearing. A tan coloured she-cat who had been talking to a white tom, caught sight of her. "Hey!" She called, coming towards Dustpaw. "I'm Dawn!" She meowed in a friendly tone.

Dustpaw dipped her head in greeting. "I'm Dustpaw."

"Nice to meet you Dustpaw! So you going to join The Fallen?" She asked.

Dustpaw blinked. "The Fallen?"

"That's who we are!" She meowed, gesturing to the make-shift camp. "We are The Fallen, avengers of our clan! Someday, we're going to stop EmberClan!" She made it seem so easy. Her happy tone making it sound like it was nothing.

"Dawn!" Called the white tom. "Stop annoying her, she's been through a lot lately."

"Don't worry Birch." Purred Dawn. "I was just curious."

"I was just on my way to talk to Fire." Interrupted Dustpaw. "I need to go."

Birch and Dawn meowed a goodbye as Dustpaw padded away.

Finally she reached the leader's den. She was about to call a greeting, when the leaves covering the entrance rustled. The black tom, Scar, strolled out of the den. He ignored her as he went over to the small fresh-kill pile, and selected a freshly caught sparrow.

"Come in." Called a voice from inside the den.

Dustpaw entered and stared at Fire. His pelt was orange, like the warriors that invaded her Clan. She couldn't help but make a comment on it. "Your pelt... it looks the same of the warriors that attacked my clan."

Fire avoided her gaze as he answered. "It's because EmberClan was once part of my Clan." Dustpaw's eyes widened at this news. After a slight hesitation, he continued. "I was a young apprentice of FireClan when the division between cats started. Warriors began to take sides. Our leader never really took the feud seriously, and the separation between the clan grew deeper. One night, the opposing cats attacked the rest of the clan, killing them all. As a young apprentice, I had never really taken a side. But when the battle came, I fought with our leader. When all our clan was dead, for some reason, I was spared. I followed them, in hopes of finding the answer to the madness." He shook his head sadly. "But all I found, was more destruction."

Dustpaw felt sadness for this cat. His clan was the reason other clans were being destroyed. "I would like to join The Fallen." She meowed suddenly.

Fire looked at her. "Then there is one thing that you should know about us." He paused before continuing"As avengers of our clans, we decided to take the names of our clans."

Dustpaw nodded in understanding. "Then I guess you can call me Night."

**Please note that from now on, her name is Night, and will no longer be called Dustpaw.**

**Please remember to review!**


	5. StarClan Speaks

**I would like to remind all of you again, that Dustpaw will now be called Night for the rest of the story. Please read on and don't forget to review!**

**-Falconface**

**StarClan Speaks**

Night woke to a paw prodding her side. She glanced up at Rain, who was standing over her.

Her eyes drifted outside to where the sun was almost past it's highest peek. She groaned.

"Come on!" Meowed Rain impatiently. "Your going to sleep through the whole day!"

Night just moaned. "Where I come from we sleep in the day!"

Rain ignored her, and went back to sorting her herbs.

Knowing she wouldn't be able to sleep anymore, Night scrambled to her feet and stumbled out of the den.

The sunlight was painful against her eyelids. Her eyes were adjusted for seeing in the darkness of night, not the brightness of the day. Still, she might as well get use to it.

"Good morning Dustpaw!" Greeted the tan she-cat from before.

"Hi Dawn." Night replied drowsily. "And by the way, it's Night now. I joined The Fallen."

Dawn seemed to be buzzing with even more energy. "That's great! And the name suits you! You look like you're falling asleep on your paws!"

Night sighed. She meowed a goodbye to Dawn and strolled off into the woods. She had never realized how much shade the trees provided. The darkness almost made her feel it was night.

"Mouse dung!" The sudden voice made her look up.

A large gray tom cursed as he spat out a mouthful of feathers. Beside him, a tortoiseshell she-cat watched, her green eyes full of amusement.

"I was so close to catching that bird!" The tom hissed.

The she-cat glanced at the trees. "It's alright. You can try again soon."

Night felt herself smile slightly. No wonder their fresh-kill pile was so small. But she had to admit, hunting in another clan's territory was probably really hard.

"Hi." She called, stepping out of the bushes.

The tom and the she-cat both turned to look at her. "Finally!" The tom breathed. "Someone who can hunt in this territory!"

The she-cat ignored him, and instead trotted over to Night. "I'm Moss." She meowed. "And this is Stone."

Night dipped her head in greeting. "I'm Night."

"Now that we've gotten the introductions out of the way," Grumbled Stone. "Can you teach me how to hunt here?"

"Maybe later." Meowed Night. She had something else she wanted to do.

"Fine." Grumbled Stone.

They exchanged goodbyes as Night left. She glanced up the sky where the sun was slowly moving. The timing was perfect. By the time she got to her destination, the moon would be up.

...

The sky was stained with the colours of sunset. The moonlight that filled the land, gave Night more strength. She felt her paws slow as she finally reached the border.

She was at the end of the ravine, where a small waterfall tumbled into the stream. Without any hesitation, she skidded down the steep sides and trotted up to the cascading water. Her paws took her to the side of the waterfall, where there was a small opening in the cliffs.

The scent from the cave was damp and musty. She knew that the cave had countless passages, and was easy to get lost. But it was the only way to speak to StarClan.

Silently she slipped into the passage and made her way through the tunnels. She relied on her whiskers to feel the sides of the tunnels. Not even her night eyes could see in this darkness.

Her own breathing was the only sound in the silence of the caves. Despite the fact that she had been here before, she still couldn't get use to not seeing the stars.

Finally Night stopped. She was totally and completely lost. And you had to be, if you were to speak to StarClan. That was why only a NightClan cat could enter the tunnels. After they got lost, only NightClan cats could find their way out.

Night settled down on the cold stone, tucking her paws under her chest. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

After a few heartbeats, she opened them again. She was back at camp. The clearing was filled with her clan mates that had died because of EmberClan.

Her mentor, Patchfoot, approached her. She felt tears begin to trickle down her cheeks. A muzzle brushed against her, and she looked into Patchfoot's kind gaze. "I was waiting for you to come visit us." He meowed.

"I'm sorry." Night whispered. "It was my fault you died! If I hadn't started fighting that warrior, none of this would've happened!"

"It wasn't your fault." He rumbled. "Nothing that you did caused this. This was the fate StarClan had for us."

Night looked past him and to the line of StarClan warriors. She saw her friends, Briarpaw and Wingpaw. Her mother Birdeye, and her father, Sunstripe.

She felt her paws begin to shake from the grief she felt. Night looked over as a large dark gray tabby tom approaching her. It was her leader, Thornstar.

"You have done well." He meowed to her. "You deserve to be made a warrior."

Night couldn't help but feel surprised. It was because of her NightClan was dead. She had done nothing to be made a warrior.

"You have great skills, and was able to get through the death of your clan mates. I think it's time for you to be a warrior." When Night nodded in acceptance, he smiled, then he began the ceremony. "I, Thornstar, leader of NightClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down at this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as warrior in her turn. Dustpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior cod and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." She whispered. Even though her name was no longer Dustpaw, she still felt proud.

"Then by the power of StarClan I give you your warrior name." Thornstar paused for a second. "Dustpaw, from this moment on you shall be know as Dustwing. StarClan honours your courage and loyalty."

"Dustwing! Dustwing!" All of StarClan cheered her name. She had thought this moment would've never come. And now, for the first time since the death of her clan, she felt truly happy.

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	6. Again

**I know the last chapter was a little bit dull, and this one is a little bit boring but after things start to get interesting.**

**-Falconface**

**Again**

Night stopped to hunt on the way back to camp. It was still night after she had left the caves, and prey was plentiful. She still felt happy after talking to her clan again. For once everything was perfect.

Finally she reached the camp and was immediately greeted by Moss. "That's a big catch you got there." She commented.

Night nodded as she passed into camp. The others were still asleep in their dens. The early morning sun began to appear and Night suddenly felt the weight of the day crash onto her. She put her prey in the fresh-kill pile and wandered back into her den. In moments she was asleep, curled in her nest.

...

Her dreams were filled with the screaming of her clan mates. Their cries for help filled her head. Blood coated the ground of the destroyed camp. EmberClan was attacking all over again.

But this time, Night couldn't move. She was felt helpless against the battle that was going on. Her clan was dying before her eyes. The stench of death filling the clearing.

Suddenly it wasn't just her clan mates. The Fallen were also fighting, being slaughtered like her clan. Tears began to stream down her cheeks as Dawn, Moss, Rain, Wingpaw and Briarpaw, and countless others were killed right in front of her.

Suddenly a large orange tom loomed over her. "Last time was a mistake." He hissed. "This time you die with them!" And his claws cut her throat. She now new the pain her clan was feeling. She chocked on her own blood, trying to breath but couldn't. Death was welcoming her.

...

Night shot awake. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her fur was spiked out in all directions. The nest she had slept in was scattered across the den, moss clinging to her pelt.

It took a while before she calmed down and her heartbeat slowed. It was all a dream. Nothing but a dream. Even though her clan was dead, the Fallen were still here. It had just been a nightmare.

She groomed the moss from her fur and glanced outside. The sun was already nearing the horizon, ready to set. She yawned and stretched her muscles. Her legs were still sore from last night's trek through the woods.

Drowsily, Night stumbled out of the den and looked around the camp. She went over to the fresh-kill pile and selected a vole. Then she spotted a familiar tan pelt and wondered over to Dawn. "Hi!" She meowed and the prey in her mouth.

"Hi!" Greeted Dawn. "I can't believe you slept all day again! What were you doing?"

Night shook her head. "Nothing. Has Stone gotten the hang of hunting yet?"

"Nope. But by the way he was complaining, he probably scared away all the prey." She purred.

Suddenly, a black and white tom came racing into camp. "Have you seen Fire?" He asked them.

"Rain said he went hunting." Replied Dawn.

The tom nodded and went racing out of camp. "Who was that?" Asked Night.

"That's Swift. He's spying on EmberClan along with Scar." Dawn answered.

Night stood up and stretched her legs. "I'm going hunting." She told Dawn.

...

Night found she couldn't fall asleep. She lay awake, staring up the roots of the tree that formed the den. She turned over and closed her eyes. But it was no use, sleep would not come to her.

Swift had delivered news that EmberClan was on the move again. They were going to start following them in the morning. And this was the last night she was going to spend in NightClan territory.

Finally she gave up sleep, and wondered outside. She thought about going to visit the caves, and see StarClan one last time. But that would take energy she needed for the long journey ahead of her.

Instead she continued to stare up at the stars, thinking about her clan mates that now lived there. Someday she would join them. Become another warrior of StarClan. But for now, she would live on, or at least until EmberClan was destroyed.

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

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	7. Tired Journey

**Tired Journey**

Night yawned yet again as she followed the others through the trees. She was exhausted and not use to being awake in the day. Yet she stumbled on, past the border of her territory and into unfamiliar land.

Never before had she been past the borders she new so well. And as the thick trees of NightClan territory faded behind her, she finally felt the sun's warmth.

They seemed to travel forever, following EmberClan's strong scent. As the sun reached it's highest point, Night felt the ground begin to rumble beneath her paws. A horrible stench filled her nose, and her fur prickled with fear.

Suddenly the trees ended, revealing a long stretch of black stone. "What is that?" She whispered.

It went on forever, without any sign of ending. "It's the Thunderpath." Replied Dawn. She turned to Night. "You've never seen it before?"

Night shook her head. "We don't have any in our territory." She looked again at the huge beasts that rumbled past. Her eyes widened a little in surprise when she realized there were creatures inside them. "What are those things?"

"They're called monsters." Dawn explained. "The creatures inside of them are Twolegs. The Twolegs ride around in the monster's bellies."

Night felt even more surprised than before. "Why?!"

Dawn shrugged. "I don't know. Twolegs are weird."

Night glanced down the Thunderpath, seeing no end to the flat surface. "How do we get around?"

"We cross it." Dawn meowed.

Night was a little shocked, those huge black paws could easily crush a cat, and the monster might not even notice.

They others gathered at the side of the Thunderpath, hidden in the shadows, wrinkling their nose whenever a monster passed throwing up more of the sickening stench. Then there was a gap in the stream of monsters. Immediately, The Fallen sprang from their hiding place and darted across the smooth stone. Night felt her heart pounding in her chest. The noise of a monster echoing in her ear, becoming louder by the second.

She tumbled into the grass on the other side, shivering, as a large monster rumbled past. She never wanted to do that again.

"You okay?" Asked Frost, a white she-cat.

Night nodded. "I'm just glad it's over."

"We'll still have to cross many more Thunderpaths." Frost told her.

Night groaned. She had barely lived through the first one.

...

It had been four days since they had left NightClan territory. Night had never felt so tired. Her muscles were sore from walking, and her pelt reeked of Thunderpath from the Twolegplaces they had gone through.

It was harder on her. Being forced to travel in the day when she would normally be sleeping. And then attempting to sleep when her body was awake.

She began to miss home. The thick trees had blocked out the hot sun. Where the thinner branches here let more light through, and her black pelt absorbed the heat.

She shook her head, instead focusing on the trees around her. Today was quiet. The grass was damp from the rainfall last night, soaking their pelts as they past. Few birds were singing in the damp air. Everything was quiet, very quiet. Like the silence before a storm.

A shrill, high pitched screech filled the air. Everyone's head went flying up in alarm. The scream had not been far off.

Fire held up his tail to stop the others, then flicked it towards Moss. She immediately broke away from the group and stalked forward into the shadows. Night blinked. Moss's pelt seemed to shimmer slightly, blending in with her surroundings. No, it must be the shifting light coming through the leaves of the trees.

Fire lead the group on, at a slower pace. Then the undergrowth rustled, and Moss stepped out.

"It's okay. EmberClan has moved on." She told them.

Fire nodded and stepped back so Moss could lead the group forward. The trees ended in a clearing, a large Twoleg den stood in the middle.

Night tasted the air. No Twolegs had been here for many seasons. Moss lead them right up to the entrance to the den. She gestured to the tall grass near the building. A solid gray she-cat lay dead in the tall stalks, with a small grayish brown kit lifeless her paws.

A set of claw marks scared both of their throats. It looked as if their deaths had been quick.

Fire sighed, his eyes full of sorrow. "They must have ran into EmberClan." He turned to the rest of the clan. "We'll rest here for tonight. Scar, Swift, could you bury them together. Night, could you check that the den is empty?"

She nodded, and entered the den, the stench of Twoleg everywhere. It took only a few moments before her eyes adjusted to the darkness.

She tasted the air, and realized that she was not alone. Other cats were here, but they smelled different from EmberClan.

Night followed the scent to a set of ledges that lead up to another space above her. She had to leap onto each step until she entered the new area.

Ahead, a shape moved, surrounded by a pile of Twoleg junk. It was a young golden she-cat, the scent of fear strong on her pelt. Night kept to the shadows as she wondered forward. The she-cat was whispering to two young kits. "No matter what, you need to stay here." She told them.

"Is mother okay?" Asked one of kits, a light gray she-cat.

"And Ray?" Questioned the other, a brown tom.

"Don't worry. I'm going to go check. But you must stay here and keep hidden until I come back." The golden she-cat told them.

"Are they dead?" Whispered the gray kit, her voice was shaky with fear.

"I don't know." Murmured the golden she-cat cat. Her eyes were clouded with loss.

Night found herself stepping out of the shadows. "I'm afraid both have died."

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	8. Loss

**Loss**

The she-cat whirled around and hissed at Night. She glanced back at the kits from the corner of her eye. "Hide!" The kits immediately scrambled into a narrow hole in the twoleg trash. The golden she-cat then kicked a piece of sharp twoleg mesh over the entrance, cutting her own pad in the process.

Night stopped, still slightly hidden in the shadows.. "I'm not one of them." She meowed. "But I was too late to save that queen and her kit."

The golden she-cat glared at her. "How do I know that? How do I know you aren't one of them?"

Night looked into the she-cat's eyes. "By my fur. My pelt is black, not the orange of those rouges. My name is Night."

The stranger's fur seemed to flatten a little. "I'm Neko."

"So the cat that died was their mother." Asked Night, gesturing to the kits.

Neko nodded. "Her name was Blossom, and the kit was Ray. We weren't prepared for their attack. I just managed to escape with these two kits. Blossom must have died trying to save Ray."

"Is everything okay?" Squeaked one of the kits.

Neko's gaze softened. "I think so." She held the mesh back with her teeth so the kits could squeeze out.

"My name's Dusty." Exclaimed the brown tom immediately.

"Mother's dead then." The second kit's voice shook a little.

"I'm sorry." Night whispered. "We got here too late."

The brown kit, Dusty, seemed to have suddenly lost his energy. "Will father return?" He asked in a small voice.

Neko nodded. "Any day now, I'm certain." She glanced at Night. "You found only two bodies right?"

Night nodded. "Would me and the others be able to stay here for the night?" She asked.

The golden she-cat seemed uncertain. "If you need, you can stay."

Night nodded a thanks. "I'll tell the others." She walked less than two steps when the kits started following her.

"I want to meet them!" Exclaimed Dusty when she looked back at them.

Night just sighed and continued on, with Neko following as well. They reached the entrance to the den, and were greeted by Dawn.

Night glanced past her to outside. "Where are the others?" She asked.

"Hunting." Replied Dawn. She looked down at the two kits and her gaze softened. "Who are these two?"

"I'm Dusty." Meowed the first one proudly.

"I'm Clover." The gray she-cat was more quiet.

Neko came out of the twoleg den. "I hope you aren't annoying anyone." She scolded.

"We aren't!" Promised Dusty.

"Are you their mother?" Asked Dawn.

Neko shook her head. "Blossom was, but she's.." The she-cat trailed off.

Dawn looked at her in understanding. "I hope you don't mind us staying here."

Neko shook her head. "Not at all. We're all alone until their father comes."

...

The next morning was as silent as before. Dew still clung to the leaves of the grass. The Fallen had left at first light, continuing on after EmberClan.

Night yawned for the tenth time today. She still couldn't get use to the constant travel. Though she noticed her pads had toughened and the hard ground no longer hurt them. Still, she hated travelling.

A soft pelt brushed Night as Dawn caught up to her. "It's been so quiet the last few days." She murmured.

_So I'm not the only one who noticed._ Night thought silently to herself. "Maybe EmberClan scared off all the prey."

Dawn shook her head. "That's not it. It's never been this quiet before."

The others seemed to have sensed it too. It felt as though a storm would come, one more powerful than those before.

Stone suddenly sneezed and every cat jumped. "Why can't you warn me!" Demanded Scar, his fur ruffled.

Night purred with amusement. _It's almost like I'm with my own clan._ She realized. Then there was a pain in her heart. _But my clan is dead, and I'll never see them again._

...

Risingscar paced through the temporary camp. His claws itched to kill something. That gray she-cat had not been enough, the kit nothing but a nuisance. In his opinion, EmberClan was already strong enough, they should have just killed those surviving cats.

A low growl rumbled in his throat. Bloodfang was foolish, Emberstar was foolish.

"You seem angry." Commented a lighter orange tabby she-cat, coming up to him.

Risingscar glared at her. "What do you want, Skitterfoot?"

"I want to know what you're thinking." She meowed, her voice calm despite his hostility. "You seem to doubt our leaders."

Risingscar shook his head. "Oh I don't doubt Bloodfang. He's just following Emberstar's orders. But it's Emberstar that's the problem. How do we know the plan will work? How do we know this will make us stronger? How do we know we can even trust Emberstar?"

Skitterfoot was slightly surprised by this outburst. "Emberstar is our leader, we simply have to trust that the plan will work."

Risingscar narrowed his eyes. "And how do I know I can trust you? You've never even spoken to me before."

Skitterfoot held his gaze with calm expression, though a spark of anger was deep in her eyes. "I'm talking to you because I want you to be part of my team."

"What team?" He growled.

"Bloodfang has given me an assignment. I must take a patrol of cats ahead to do an important task." She told him.

"And what task is that?" Risingscar didn't trust her. Not for a moment.

"The Fallen are too close to us. They're learning to much. We need to keep an eye on them." Her voice was slightly bitter. "That's why I need you on this patrol. You are a great fighter, one of the best."

He didn't believe her praise. She could never be trusted. The cats of EmberClan were scarred from so many battles, but her soft pelt hadn't a single mark on it. Something was strange about her, and he wasn't about to trust her any time soon.

"I'll see you in the morning." Skitterfoot took the silence as a yes, and stalked off.

Risingscar smiled slightly. Bloodfang may never trust him, and now Skitterfoot would probably tell the others about his doubt in Emberstar's plan. But it would no longer matter. What he was about to do would probably get himself killed.

He was going to attack The Fallen, and kill them.

**Hope you liked this chapter!**

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	9. Screams In The Air

**I would like to thank Emeralwing, Briarwind and Echotrail for their reviews!**

**In response to Hollyleaf is cool, I will use your cat in one of the upcoming chapter, so don't worry.**

**Ooh! This chapter get interesting! Discover the latest member of The Fallen!**

**Screams In The Air**

The silence was shattered. Screeches filled the dawn, high pitched and full of fury. More and more echoed through the trees, until Night's ears rang with the sound.

The Fallen stopped short, ears pricked. It seemed like only a few heartbeats later when the screams began to fade, the ones left full of sorrow instead of anger. Night flattened her ears, trying to block out the dreadful noise of pain.

After what seemed like moons, they stopped. Silence spreed through the forest, as quiet as the days before. A single bird chirped from the trees, unfazed by what had happened.

They waited a little longer, before stalking ahead, sticking to the thicker undergrowth. The trees suddenly ended at a canyon. Water flowed at the bottom, fresh and pure. Caves lined the rocky cliffs with steep paths connecting them, and blood stained everything. Bodies of cats lay limp in the shadows of the russet stones. Death hung in the air.

The Fallen found a way down the cliffs, and immediately scattered around the destroyed camp when they reached the bottom. Night gently checked ever cat, looking for the slight twitch of their breathing, or the pounding of their hearts.

She sniffed each warrior carefully, but each had gone to StarClan. Night had to keep repeating in her head that there was a survivor. But the more bodies she checked, the more she was begging to loose hope.

She glanced up at the top of the canyon, where a few of her clanmates were keeping watch. Night was then startled by a drop of water landing on her nose. A few more stained the stones nearby, until a steady stream of them fell from the sky.

Through the rain, a single movement caught her eye. Beside a cave, a young ginger she-cat lay limp on the rain soaked ground. Her tail twitched slightly and Night could see the faint rise and fall of her chest, hidden beneath the blood and scars that covered her pelt.

"This one's alive!" She shouted to the others. But her call was overpowered by a sudden bolt of lightning, and the rumble of thunder nearby.

Night blinked hard, trying to clear the droplets that clung to her eyelids. She opened her mouth again when a sudden weight crashed down onto her back. "Let's see how great you really are!" A voice hissed into her ear, the scent of EmberClan strong on the enemy's pelt. "It's time for you to join your clanmates."

...

Skitterfoot tasted the damp air. Sure enough that foolish orange tom had gone. But just to make sure, she started asking around camp. Most hadn't seen him, nor cared. Narrowed eyes greeted her when she mentioned his name. He was called a traitor, a fool, a cat not to be trusted, even before they learned that he had left them.

Finally Skitterfoot went to tell Bloodfang. "What!" He growled. "Risingscar left? I knew he couldn't be trusted, but this is beyond what I thought my apprentice would do. Tell the clan that if anyone sees that traitor, they will force him back here to be punished with death." Bloodfang smiled cruelly. "Emberstar won't mind that I take on a new apprentice so soon."

"Yes Bloodfang." Skitterfoot left the den. She then made herself busy giving every cat the order to hunt him down. Every warrior seemed to enjoy this news, nobody had ever really liked him.

"Skitterfoot!" The sudden voice made her turn. A gang of cats approached her. "We're ready to leave."

She felt pleased on how fast they had prepared. "We'll leave at sunset."

The others nodded and went back to their dens to rest and eat their share of fresh-kill.

Skitterfoot glanced up at the top of the trees, where storm clouds were gathered, growing closer by the second. _What has that tom done now? I gave him a second chance and this is his thanks. I will make sure Risingscar dies no matter what it takes._

...

The she-cat struggled under Risingscar, surprised by his attack. He knew this was beyond mouse-brained, but now he had no choice. Returning to his clan would mean death. But at least this would mean his death was quick.

The black she-cat beneath him suddenly mustered the strength to shove him off. He aimed his claws for her throat, only to scratch the surface of her neck. There was a flicker of fear in her eyes and he took another swipe at her face. More thunder echoed in the background, encouraging the fight.

The she-cat dodged and nipped at his front leg. It was a weak attack and he thrust his paw down onto her head, surprised to find only empty air. His tail was tugged backward and he whipped around at the she-cat, his paws slipping slightly on the wet rocks.

A low growl rumbled in his throat, he lunged forward fast and fastened his teeth onto her hind leg. He let go a second after and swiped his claws down her pelt before darting away. But then she was facing him, her claws slicing the air inches from his muzzle. He hissed and lunged at her, she was slightly surprised by his attack, and slashed her thorn-sharp claws across his face, but he was too late to dodge them.

The darkness was suffocating. He could no longer see the enemy, nor anything. He had come here expecting death, and had gotten something much worse.

_I'm blind!_

Those two words echoed through his mind. Blood dripped from his eyes, filling his mouth with it's salty tang. He stumbled back, his fur brushing the steep side of the gorge.

A few pebbles fell from above, bouncing off his pelt. Then a low creaking noise echoed through the canyon. Risingscar swung his head around wildly, wishing he knew what was happening.

"A tree is falling!" The she-cats warning confirmed his suspicion. And by the sound of it, it was happening directly above. There was the sounds of paw steps slipping on the rain soaked stones as the she-cat began to back away.

Risingscar stayed where he was. He didn't want to move. There was a loud groan and the snapping of several roots. He sat down, counting every one of his pounding heartbeats.

_One,_

_Two,_

_Three,_

_Four,_

It had happened. The creaking and groaning overpowered even the roar of thunder nearby. There was the swishing of leaves as the tree brushed against the side of the gorge. The horrible sound of cracking branches echoed overhead.

_Pain_

That was what he felt. The pain of being crushed under the rough bark of the tree, the sharp twigs scaring his pelt. If was suffocating, locked under the thick branches unable to break through.

Risingscar let the darkness consume him, only regretting not being able to see the sunrise again.

**Really hope you liked this chapter!**

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	10. Star

**Star**

The tree crashing onto the ground echoed in Night's ears. Her fur was spiked up in fear at the thought of being crushed under the thick trunk. As the snapping of branches faded, the sounds of her clanmates grew louder.

Night opened her eyes slightly, the rain was now pounding down, soaking her to the bone. Wind whistled over the top of the gorge, along with the constant roar of thunder.

"Night!" The muffled call was barely loud enough for her to hear.

She was about to reply when another thought came into her head. _The survivor!_

The apprentice would be cold and wet, making her risk of dying even greater. And her clanmates didn't know where the she-cat was. Night rose to her paws and darted over to the collapsed tree, praying it had missed the apprentice.

Luckily it had, but only just. The survivor was under a ledge in the cliff, creating a small roof that the tree had bounced off of. Night broke a few slippery branches to get to the small space. The sharp twigs scratched her pelt as she struggled through.

Through the branches, it was dark and quiet, unlike the storm raging outside. The young apprentice was limp, blood still oozing from her wounds. Night fastened her teeth onto the she-cat's scruff and hauled her out of the wreckage, trying to protect the young cat from the sharper branches.

The weather outside had only gotten worse. Lightning flashed in the distance, seeming to always get closer. Thunder was constant, it's deafening boom echoing against the canyon walls. Rain soaked everything, making the smooth stone slick and dangerous to walk on.

Night hauled the apprentice over the rocks, heading for one of the caves in the side of the cliffs. Inside it was calmer, a small pool rippled on the floor. She clawed together pawfuls of moss that grew on the sides of the walls, and dragged the she-cat into the nest, pressing more moss onto her wounds, hoping she would be okay.

Night didn't even have enough energy to make a nest for herself. She collapsed on the floor instead. Sides heaving, she closed her eyes, drifting into sleep.

_..._

_ She opened her eyes to darkness. Voices whispered around her, some louder, some scarcely heard. Night strained to listen, only hearing a few._

_ "...fire will fight fire."_

_ "...cannot survive without the embers..."_

_ "...a single soul will burn bright."_

_ ".. a choice of pain..."_

_ "Only by rising will the embers finally die."_

_ "...the fallen must rise..."_

_ A single figure appeared in front of her. The cat shifted in appearance, becoming a tom or a she-cat. It's pelt changing colour from gray, brown, white, ginger or golden. Tabby, solid or dappled. It's eyes changed colour too, both never the same._

_ "Who are you?" Night couldn't help but ask._

_ "I'm Star." The cat spoke in many different voices at once. "I represent all of StarClan."_

_ "Why have you come?" Night's voice echoed around the empty place._

_ "I'm here to deliver a message." Star focused it's multi coloured eyes on her. "No fire can put out it's own ember."_

_ Night blinked, trying to clear her mind. She tried to focus on Star's message, but the cat's changing pelt kept distracting her. Once it took on the form of one of her clanmates, and she felt a deep stab of pain._

_ Suddenly the world around her flickered. "What's happening?" She gasped._

_ Star gazed at her. "You are waking." The cat dipped it's head. "Goodbye Night." And the cat vanished into starlight._

_ "No! Wait! I don't understand!" But her cries were for nothing._

...

She shot awake. "Night!" The voice echoed outside.

"I'm here!" She called back.

The tan face of Dawn appeared in the entrance. Beyond, it was as calm as ever, as if the storm had never happened.

"I'm glad you're safe. We couldn't find you and got worried. We thought you were crushed under that tree." Dawn explained.

Night shook her head. "No it wasn't me." When Dawn looked at her with a questioning gaze, she continued. "And EmberClan tom attacked me when I found the survivor. I blinded him." Her voice turned into a whisper. "After the tree began to fall, I called a warning, but the tom stayed where he was. I think the tree killed him."

Dawn gave her a sympathetic look. She then glanced over at the apprentice. "We better get her back to camp."

Night nodded and helped gently lift the apprentice and bring her out of the cave.

The others were waiting in the centre of the destroyed camp. "Are you okay?" It was Fire's voice.

Night nodded, her mind focused on something else. She went back to what Star had said. _"No fire can put out it's own ember."_

She shook her head. Whatever it meant, she could figure it out later. She joined the others in helping take the survivor out of the gorge, and into the forest.

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	11. A Cry Of Sorrow

**A Cry Of Sorrow**

Amberpaw opened her eyes. Where was she? What had happened?

She slowly rose to her paws, wincing under the pain of the many wounds that laced her body.

"Are you okay." A gray tabby she-cat was looking at her.

Amberpaw nodded. "Where am I?" She asked.

"In our camp. We took you here after the attack." The gray she-cat told her.

She felt her heart begin to pound. Who was this cat? "Where is the rest of my clan?" She asked shakily.

The she-cat shook her head. "You were the only survivor."

Amberpaw's eyes widened. The only survivor? Before she knew what she was doing, she raced out of the den, looking around the clearing outside. A few other cats were there, each one giving her a curious look.

The air had no scent of her Clanmates. Every cat here unfamiliar. Could it be true? Could her clan be dead?

No! They just couldn't be! Amberpaw charged out of the camp, heading for the gorge. Her clan would be there, probably wondering where she was. They would greet her and ask questions. And she would return to the normal life in her clan.

But when she skidded to a stop at the top of the gorge, her hopes vanished. There was no movement below. No familiar faces peeking out of the caves as she called to them. Amberpaw charged down the familiar path, and stuck her head into all the dens. Not a single cat was there. It was only herself.

So it was true. She was the only survivor. SkyClan was dead.

A wail rose in her throat, and she let out a cry of sorrow that echoed through the trees. How could she survive without her clan?

...

Night watched the apprentice from a distance, knowing her pain all too well. As the wail faded away in the rising sun, the young ginger she-cat sunk down onto the ground, defeated.

Night wanted to say something to comfort the apprentice, but there was nothing to say. The she-cat had every right to let out her sorrow.

Night took a step forward, then another. The young apprentice didn't hear her until she was only a tail-length away. "Are you okay?"

The survivor turned, surprise in her green eyes. "Who are you?" She asked.

"I'm Night." She studied the ginger she-cat. The apprentice looked only about a moon younger than herself. "What's your name?"

"I'm Amberpaw." Her voice was quiet.

Night felt bad for the apprentice. She glanced around the deserted camp. "So tell me," She meowed, trying to change the subject. "What was your clan like?"

Amberpaw looked up and Night. "Well over there is the medicine cat's den." She nodded in to a cave beside them that smelled strongly of herbs. "And just past it is the leader's, and the warrior's is the highest cave up there. On that side is the apprentice's where I stay, and that's the nursery above, and the elder's is there. Beside us is the rockpile, where Leafstar makes announcements to the clan. If you go way down the canyon, there's a smaller cave, that's were Sky use to live. The elders told stories of him, he was a direct descendent of SkyClan, that's our clan."

"What do you mean a descendent?" Night asked curiously.

Amberpaw seemed pleased to answer. "SkyClan used to live in a different forest, with four other clans, but the Twolegs came and forced them to leave. When they got here, there was these rats that drove them from their home. They were scattered around, living as rouges, loners, and kittypets. Then two cats from the four clans came, and they rebuilt SkyClan."

"Tell me more about these rats?" She encouraged.

"The rats lived in this old Twoleg building, and they could talk! So they were way smarter than normal rats. The battle between SkyClan and the rats is always told by the elders. On of the two cats that came here, his name was Firestar, he lost one of his nine lives in that battle! I wish I was there." She spoke wistfully. Then she turned to Night. "So what's your clan like?"

It was time for Night to be surprised. No cat had ever asked about her clan. "Well we really different from most clans. We're awake at night and sleep in the day. In our territory, the trees are really thick, blocking out the light even in the day. Of course, loners always came through. We usually take them in, and when we were kits, we would trip over ourselves bringing them prey in exchange for stories. I always loved hearing tales of places beyond our borders." Her voice faded away. She missed her clan so much. The memories she spoke about now crowding her head. Her life had been so good, why couldn't it last?

"Never seeing the sun? That must be weird." Amberpaw's voice broke her thoughts.

Night shook her head. "Not really. To us, it was weird for cats to be awake in the day. Our eyes are better than most at seeing in the dark. Our black pelts are perfect for hunting at night."

Amberpaw's eyes were wide with interest. "So what happened to your clan?"

Night's gaze darkened. "EmberClan happened. They did the same thing to us that they did to you. When I saw my mentor dead at the entrance, I attacked without thinking. After it was a blur. I woke up three days later, and my clan was dead. I was Dustpaw then, an apprentice of NightClan, after the attack I took my clan's name, and joined The Fallen."

"The Fallen?" Amberpaw asked curiously.

"They're the cats you saw back at camp. All of them came from different clans, all destroyed by EmberClan." She murmured.

The apprentice didn't reply. They sat side by side for a while, watching the sun sink below the trees.

"Can I learn a battle move?" Amberpaw asked suddenly. "One from NightClan? It is night after all."

"Okay," She meowed, slightly startled. "Jump at me."

The apprentice didn't hesitate. She ran forward at full speed and leapt at her. Night flipped onto her back, shoving her paws against Amberpaw's stomach as she came down. She then thrust out her limbs, sending the apprentice flying to the side.

"That was way cool!" Amberpaw's eyes were wide with excitement as she scrambled to her paws. "Let me try."

Night waited for the apprentice to regain her footing, before charging Amberpaw. The she-cat flipped onto her back, and shoved all her paws up, forcing Night away despite her small size.

Night scrambled to her paws, shaking the dust from her fur. "That was perfect!" She marvelled. "And on the first try to!"

Amberpaw seemed to forget all her worries. "Teach me some more!"

She nodded. "But just a few more."

**Hoped you liked this chapter!**

**Don't forget to review!**


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